The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens hawkeri, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Applause Orange Blaze.
The new Impatiens is a product of a planned breeding program Inventor in Lompoc, Calif. The objective of the breeding program is to develop new Impatiens cultivars with compact plant habit and interesting flower and foliage colors.
The new Impatiens originated from a cross made by the Inventor of a proprietary Impatiens hawkeri seedling selection designated as code number 91-616-2, not patented, as the female, or seed parent, with a proprietary Impatiens hawkeri seedling selection designated as code number 95-568-1, not patented, as the male, or pollen parent. The cultivar Applause Orange Blaze was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in controlled environment in Lompoc, Calif.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken at Lompoc, Calif., has shown that the unique features of this new Impatiens are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations. Plants of the new Impatiens differ from the parent selections primarily in flower and leaf color.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Applause Orange Blazexe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Applause Orange Blazexe2x80x99 as a new and distinct Impatiens cultivar:
1. Large, bright orange-colored flowers.
2. Freely flowering habit with flowers positioned above or beyond the foliage.
3. Mounded and compact plant habit.
4. Glossy green and golden yellow variegated leaves.
5. Tolerant to full sun conditions and low night temperatures.
Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of the cultivar Orange Crush, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,048. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Lompoc, Calif., plants of the new Impatiens differ from plants of the cultivar Orange Crush, in the following characteristics:
1. Leaf color of the new Impatiens is variegated whereas leaf color of the cultivar Orange Crush is solid green.
2. Leaves of the new Impatiens have entire margins whereas leaves of the cultivar Orange Crush have serrulate margins.
3. Plants of the new Impatiens have smaller leaves than plants of the cultivar Orange Crush.
4. Plants of the new Impatiens have larger and flatter flowers than plants of the cultivar Orange Crush.
5. Flower color of the new Impatiens and the cultivar Orange Crush differ slightly, 33A and 41A, respectively.
6. Flower spur apices of the new Impatiens are green in color whereas flower spur apices of the cultivar Orange Crush are purple in color.
7. Peduncles of the new Impatiens are lighter in color than peduncles of the cultivar Orange Crush.
Plants of the new Impatiens can also be compared to plants of the cultivar Kisaul, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,444. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Lompoc, Calif., plants of the new Impatiens differ from plants of the cultivar Kisaul, in the following characteristics:
1. Leaf color of the new Impatiens is variegated whereas leaf color of the cultivar Kisaul is solid green.
2. Leaves of the new Impatiens have entire margins whereas leaves of the cultivar Kisaul have serrulate margins.
3. Plants of the new Impatiens have smaller leaves than plants of the cultivar Kisaul.
4. Plants of the new Impatiens have larger and flatter flowers than plants of the cultivar Kisaul.
5. Flower color of the new Impatiens is lighter than flower color of the cultivar Kisaul, that is, 33A and 42A, respectively.
6. Peduncles of the new Impatiens are red purple in color whereas peduncles of the cultivar Kisaul are green in color.